STABBING AFFRAY IN CITY

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22336, 25 February 1938, Page 9

STABBING AFFRAY IN CITY

* LABOURER CHARGED IN COURT HEARING ADJOURNED TO TO-DAY Further particulars of the altercation at the corner of Moorhouse avenue and Madras street on the evening of January 19, when Thomas Hawtin was stabbed in the throat with a sheath knife and seriously wounded, were disclosed before Mr E. C. Levyey S.M in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. William George Boyd, a labourer, of no fixed abode, was charged that, with intent to do grievous bodily harm, he wounded Thomas Hawtin. Detective-Sergeant J. Bickerdike prosecuted, and Mr R. A. Young appeared for accused. Leslie Charles Thomas Hawtin, son of the injured man, a taxi-driver employed by Gold Band Taxis, said that on the night of January 19 he drove with his father to the firms stand in Moorhouse avenue. There his father got out of the taxi and walked across the road towards the railway station. They had arranged to meet at the corner of Moorhouse avenue and Madras street. • Entering the stand witness saw accused and another man. He asked them what they were doing, adding that they had no fight to be there. One of them told him to mind his own business. Witness then told the men to get out, and, followed by them, he walked to the rear of the premises. After watching the pair set off towards Moorhouse avenue, he returned to the car, parking it about 30 or 40 feet from the corner of Moorhouse avenue and Madras street. Witness Accosted Later he saw the accused his companion, and another man, standing near the corner of Moorhouse avenue and Madras street. Witness walked past them, intending to meet his father as had been arranged. He heard oneoi the men say: “There he is again. Witness took no notice of the remark, continuing on his way. He was within 10 yards of his father when one of the men made at him with fists clenched. Witness said he struck him and the man dropped to the ground. Hawtin Senior Attacked During this altercation Hawtin, sen,, was standing behind witness. Witness turned round in time to see his father being attacked by Boyd. „ “Accused lashed out at my father, witness said. “He struck him with a knife, but I did not know then that a knife had been used. My father struck accused and both fell to tne ground, my father being on top. 1 saw my father stagger to his feet, crying: ‘He has cut my throat. I ran to him and saw that his throat was cut. After struggling with accused a while I managed to wrench the knife from him. I pinned him down and threatened to drive the knife through him if he moved.” Detective-Sergeant Bickerdike. Dio he move?. Witness: No. , Detective-Sergeant Bickerdike: Did h0 appear to understand wnat you were saying to him. Witness: Yes, I think so. Until that evening, witness said, he had never seen accused. Thomas Hawtin, sen., said that when he alighted from the taxi he walked across Moorhouse avenue towards the Railway Station, stopping to talk with some men. He then went east towards Madras street. Two men were walking about 20 paces ahead of him in the same direction. He was about 10 yards away from them when they stopped. “When I reached the corner, the shorter of the two mon—not the accused —baled me up arid made a dash at me or my son: I don’t know whom he intended to strike. Accused was behind me, and when I turned round he drew a knife from his right side and wounded me in the stomach with it. I struck him and in the scuffle we fell to the ground. I was on top of him. While on the ground he slashed my throat with the knife. I scrambled to my feet and fell about five yards away from accused. I saw my son grapple with him and then I lost consciousness.” Cross-examined, witness said there were only two men on the corner besides his son and himself. He had seen neither of them before, and he had said nothing to them to warrant being attacked. He had not even spoken to them. Medical Evidence Dr. Colvin McKenzie said he was on duty at the Christchurch Public Hospital when Thomas Hawtin was admitted. He examined Hawtin and found that he had a gash in the neck about six or seven inches long, and a wound in the abdomen. He gave him a blood transfusion. Hawtin remained m a critical condition for two days, when he rallied. He had been discharged from the hospital on February 9, but was still attending as an, out-patient. He would probably be able to do light work in three weeks. Dr. F. L. Scott said that he had examined accused at the police station on the night of January 19, and had found him to be in a state of intoxication. Accused had told him that he had been drinking whisky all day. “Although accused was intoxicated, it is my opinion that he knew what he was doing and would be responsible for his actions. He answered all my questions clearly and sensibly,” said Dr. Scott. After further evidence had been heard and photographs of the corner had been produced, Boyd Was remanded to appear this morning.